The real estate development company Galio Group invites artists to contribute to the development of the business centre ‘Freedom 36’ in Vilnius and to decorate with drawings the walls of common spaces on five floors of the building. The business centre decoration works will be selected by way of competition. The prize pool of EUR 12,500 is earmarked for the winning ideas and around EUR 47,500 – for the implementation of the works.
‘Freedom 36’, the business centre currently under construction in Laisvės Avenue of the Capital City, is one of the first modern buildings for business developed after a long time in Karoliniškės District of Vilnius, where this office building is rising in the place which was occupied by a car parking lot for more than 40 years.
‘Our idea is to give the office building of ‘Freedom 36’ a character and create an atmosphere that reflects the name of the business centre. That’s why we are opening up this space to artists and inviting them to decorate with drawings 22 walls of the business centre on five floors of the building. We want the artists’ works to become an integral part of this building,’ says Aurimas Martinkėnas, Director of Commercial Projects at Galio Group.
In order to select the best works, a competition is being launched for the works of art on the theme of freedom: a man’s personal freedom that defies external factors. Galio Group invites artists to offer sketches of realistic works for one floor of the building or for the entire office building.
Over EUR 60,000 for the best ideas and implementation
There can be between one and five winners in this competition, whose work will be implemented at the business centre ‘Freedom 36’. Galio Group has committed EUR 12,500 for the winners’ prize pool. An additional prize of EUR 1,250 will go to the sketch with the highest number of the public support. Around EUR 47,500 will be allocated for the implementation of the art works at the business centre. All information on the competition conditions, time limits and technical requirements is available on the competition website.
The works of artists, which will be implemented at the business centre ‘Freedom 36’ and become a part of this building, will be selected by a five-member commission made up of representatives of Galio Group, the building’s architect and two independent commission members. Julija Reklaitė, architect and Director of the independent centre for art and education Rupert, and Algirdas Gataveckas, artist and social researcher, will help the developer Galio Group to select the best works aptly embodying the theme of personal freedom and matching in the spaces of the business centre.
According to the commission member J. Reklaitė, the context – the location, social and physical space – is a very important part of the work, so the task of creating a work for a specific context can be an interesting opportunity for artists to test themselves, discover new forms of expression and gain valuable experience.
Practices that should become a rule
‘A business initiative like this is one of the support forms for creators, artists. On the other hand, it’s a fair trade, because in addition to material value, the art also generates added value. Numerous conducted surveys have shown that integration of art into everyday life has a significant impact on the happiness index,’ says J. Reklaitė, commission member.
According to her, it’s a common practice in some countries to commit to art a part of the construction budget of buildings under construction.
‘I think this practice should become a rule. When we start to live better, our living environment also becomes important for us. Caring for a common culture is one of expressions of public wellbeing,’ maintains Dr. of Humanities, Director of the centre for art and education Rupert.
According to artist and social researcher A. Gataveckas, the art is the most important vitamin for the soul enriching daily life.
‘Culture, in the broadest sense, teaches us how to recognize our feelings, stimulates us to think and listen. Our daily life is full of mathematical rigour and rules, with many people living on a strict schedule, with specific goals, measurable results, while the art is an opposite dimension. It’s an immeasurable, mathematically incalculable burst of the creator’s feelings – like love, for example. The artist contributes his experience to the work, and the viewer interprets the work on the basis of his own experience and learns to perceive, recognize his feelings. The experience created by art is a very important feeling stimulating personal growth,’ explains A. Gataveckas.
He argues that it is also very important for artists that their works are often seen and appreciated by the public, because its response nurtures creators and encourages them to improve.
‘This is a symbolic, durable asset that is particularly important for artists. As regards the competition organised by Galio Group, it is very important and interesting that artists are invited to create in a new building, their works will become a part of the architecture work – it is not some kind of a wall or fence in a countryside. Architecture is becoming a hint for the work. After all, it’s the created rhythm of lines which people do not notice right away, but feel it. This rhythm can be extended and supplemented, and you can manipulate contrasts and try to destroy it,’ says A. Gataveckas.
Artists are invited to familiarise themselves with the terms of the competition and submit sketches of works by March 22 on the website www.freedom36.lt/konkursas.